PATIENT INFORMATION GUIDE LISMORE BASE HOSPITAL 2020 This publication is the For your own copy of this guide, property of the Hospital please scan the code with your smartphone camera and a digital PLEASE DO NOT download will begin. REMOVE FROM ROOM Scan Me Top Tips for Safe Health Care What you need to know for yourself, your family or someone you care for. Ask questions 1 You have the right to ask questions about your care. Findgoodinformation 2 Not all information is reliable. Ask your doctor for guidance. Understandtherisksandbenefits 3 Find out about your tests and treatments before they happen. Listallyourmedicines Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you need more information about 4 the medicines you are taking. Confirmdetailsofyouroperationbeforehand 5 Ask to be told who will be doing your procedure and what will happen to you. Askaboutyourcareafterleavinghospital 6 Ask for a written outline of your treatment and what should happen after you get home. Knowyourrights 7 You have a number of rights as a patient. Read our guide to find out what they are. Understandprivacy 8 Your medical information is confidential. You can ask to see your medical record. Givefeedback 9 Feedback helps health professionals spot when improvements can be made. Downloadourfreebookletat: www.safetyandquality.gov.au/toptips CONTENTS Welcome 4 4.2 Donations & Fundraising 15 1. General Information About 4.3 Fire & Emergency 16 Lismore Base Hospital 5 4.4 Infection Control & Hand Hygiene 16 1.1 Visiting Hours 5 4.5 Laundry 16 1.2 Telephone Enquiries Regarding 4.6 Mail 16 Patients 5 4.7 Mobile Phones & Photographs 16 1.3 Consent for Treatment 5 4.8 No Lift Policy 16 1.4 Communicating with Staff 5 4.9 Smoking 16 1.5 Staff Identification 6 4.10 Telephone Service 17 1.6 Confidentiality & Information Privacy 4.11 Television Service 17 Code of Practice 6 4.12 Valuables 17 1.7 Your Rights & Responsibilities 7 4.13 Compliments, Complaints, 1.8 Helping Our Research & Teaching 9 Concerns & Suggestions 17 1.9 Do You Have Special Needs? 9 5. Services on the Hospital Campus 18 1.10 Alcohol, Non-Prescribed & Illegal 5.1 Accommodation 18 Drugs 9 5.2 ATM Facilities 18 2. Being a Patient at Lismore Base Hospital 9 5.3 Fresh Plus Cafe & Coffee Shop 18 2.1 How Long Will You Stay? 9 5.4 Consumer Representatives 18 2.2 Choosing Between Public & Private 5.5 Gifts & Flowers 18 Health Care 10 5.6 Interpreter Service 19 2.3 Being Admitted as a Private Patient 10 5.7 Organ & Tissue Donation 19 2.4 Your Ward 11 5.8 Car Parking & Transport 19 2.5 Monitoring Your Medications 11 5.9 Power of Attorney 20 2.6 Patient, Family & Carer Escalation 5.10 Volunteers 20 (REACH) 12 5.11 Worship & Chaplaincy 20 2.7 Helping Yourself Recover 12 5.12 Justice of The Peace 21 2.8 Meals 12 5.13 Hospital in the Home (HITH) 21 2.9 Overseas Patients 13 6. Allied Health Services 21 2.10 Ambulance Services 13 6.1 Medical Imaging 21 3. Being Discharged from 6.2 Nutrition & Dietetics 21 Lismore Base Hospital 13 6.3 Speech Pathology 21 3.1 Discharge Planning 13 6.4 Aged Care Assessment 3.2 Discharge of Children 14 Team (ACAT) 22 3.3 Transfers to Other Hospitals 14 6.5 Physiotherapy 22 3.4 When You Go Home 15 6.6 Social Work Department 22 3.5 Continuing Services 15 6.7 Occupational Therapy 22 3.6 General Practitioner 15 6.8 Sexual Health Clinic 23 3.7 Discharging Yourself Against 6.9 Cardiac Rehabilitation Program 23 Medical Advice 15 Local Community Services for Your 4. Other Services & Information 15 Information 23 4.1 Aboriginal Liaison Officer 15 3 PATIENT INFORMATION Welcome Welcome to the Lismore Base Hospital. Your care and comfort are our main concern and our staff will do all they can to make your stay as pleasant as possible. Being in hospital can be a worry, so we are providing you with this information to help you during your hospital admission. The Lismore Base Hospital is part of the Northern NSW Local Health District. We are an accredited teaching hospital and the largest hospital within the Local Health District. This guide is divided into six sections: 1. General information about the Lismore Base Hospital 2. Being a patient 3. Being discharged 4. Other services and information 5. Services on the hospital campus 6. Allied Health 4 PATIENT INFORMATION 1. General Information The only exceptions to this are: About Lismore Base • If it is an emergency; Hospital • If you are unconscious; • If you require treatment under the Mental 1.1 Visiting Hours Health Act (2009); or Your family, friends and carers are welcome • If you have an infectious disease (Public to visit you during your stay in hospital. Health Act 1991). Children must be supervised by an adult at all times. When visitors arrive, we ask that they By coming into hospital you have given identify themselves at the nurse’s station. general agreement for the treatment needed for your condition. You can change your General Visiting Hours mind at any time, so please discuss this with General visiting hours are 10.00am–8.00pm your doctor. at the discretion of the Nurse Unit Manager Operations, anaesthetics, blood transfusions and Nurse in Charge. and certain procedures require your specific Should your visitors need to visit outside consent. You will be asked to sign a consent these hours, please speak to the nursing form after the need for the procedure has staff. been explained to you. 1.2 Telephone Enquiries Regarding If you are unable to give consent and require Patients major or specialist treatment, your doctor will seek consent from the “person responsible” To assist with patient care, we request for you. This will be, in the order of priority, that non-urgent telephone enquiries be your: made after 9.00am each morning. Nursing and medical staff are only able to discuss • Guardian; confidential information with the patient or • Partner; their person responsible (with the appropriate • Unpaid carer; or permission). • Other relative or friend. 1.3 Consent for Treatment If none of the above are available, the Your informed consent is needed before any Guardianship Tribunal may be contacted. treatment begins. This means you will be given understandable and clear information 1.4 Communicating with Staff about your choices so you can make the right Good communication between you and staff decisions about your health and healthcare. will ensure that you get the best care. Consent is your agreement for a healthcare If you have any questions about your medical professional to provide you with treatment treatment or stay in hospital, please ask one and care, including any tests, medicines, of your healthcare team. treatments or procedures. 5 PATIENT INFORMATION When you arrived in hospital you would have • We only collect information that is been seen by many staff and asked many relevant and necessary for your treatment questions. These questions are to make sure and to manage the health service. we have all the information we need to give • We will take all reasonable steps to ensure you the best possible health care. If you feel the information we collect about you is there is any other information we need to stored securely. know, please tell your doctor or nurse. • We are required by law to retain medical 1.5 Staff Identification records for certain periods of time depending on the type of record and All staff are required to wear identification facility. badges with their name, photograph and job title. Do not hesitate to ask the identity • We have appropriate systems and policies of anyone not wearing a badge. If a person in place to protect your information from without an identification badge approaches loss, unauthorised access and misuse. you and you are concerned, please alert a Any computer system we use where member of staff. your health information may be stored, is secure. 1.6 Confidentiality & Information Privacy Code of Practice • If you do not wish us to collect certain information about you, please tell us. We NSW Health is committed to safeguarding will discuss with you any consequences the privacy of patient information, and has this may have for your health care. implemented measures to comply with the Use & Disclosure Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002. We will use or disclose your information for purposes directly related to your treatment, Our doctors, nurses and other staff are and in ways that you would reasonably bound by law, by NSW Health policy and expect for your ongoing care. This may by a strict code of conduct to maintain include the transfer of relevant information confidentiality of patient information. to: Collection of Information • Your nominated GP; • We collect your personal information so • The Ambulance Service; that we can provide you with treatment and advice. • Another treating health service or hospital; • Test results and further information collected while you are being treated are • A specialist for a referral; or kept with your medical record. • For blood tests, x-rays, and so on. 6 PATIENT INFORMATION Access to your Information You Have the Right To: • You are entitled to request access to • Receive services that are based on need all personal information held by health and free from discrimination. service providers in NSW, including your • Receive treatment regardless of race, medical record. ethnicity, language, age, sexual preference • You will be asked to apply for access in or disability. writing and provide identification. • Be treated in privacy. • You may be charged a fee if you request • Be included in decisions about your care copies of your personal information or and choices about health care.